Validation of the French version of the preschool form of the social responsiveness scale-second edition (SRS-2-P)

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the French form of the preschool social responsiveness scale-2 (SRS-2-P-Fr).

Participants

A sample of French children aged 2 to 4 years comprising a group of 93 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a community control group of 201 children.

Materials and methods

Study of internal consistency using Cronbach's α coefficient, convergent validity using correlations with the ADI-R and ADOS-2, and diagnostic accuracy using the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the best threshold scores useful for screening ASD in preschool children.

Results

Good internal consistency (0.78 to 0.98) according to Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the total score and the sub-scores of the SRS-2-P scale. The study of convergent validity showed strong correlations with the total score of the ADOS-2 Toddlers and the communication and reciprocal social interaction sub-scores of the ADI-R. Diagnostic accuracy indicated that the best cut-off score for detecting ASDs was 56 (area under the curve = 0.97, sensitivity 0.925, specificity 0.98).

Conclusion

The SRS-2-P-Fr is a valid instrument for the early detection of ASD in preschool children in France and can facilitate diagnosis.